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Published on November 04, 2020
Andrea Somma Genta
1973 to 2020
It is with sadness, but also love and admiration that we put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard, to be precise) to share some thoughts about our friend, and partner in working to change the world, Andrea Somma Genta.
Andrea passed away recently, peacefully and with her loved ones surrounding her. She leaves behind a quite extraordinary legacy – and friends around the world who will miss her dearly.
Andrea was one of WEAll’s inaugural ambassadorial appointments.
Andrea had a strong understanding of the need for economic system change. She channelled this through her work at the Omina Foundation, which started championing sustainable fashion, and quickly evolved into championing regeneration and wellbeing, as necessary economic mindsets for the change needed.
Andrea’s vision adopted and promoted the principles of a circular economy and ecological urbanism. She was committed to identifying, or where necessary, creating pathways of climate action to avert the most pressing consequences of climate change.
She was a great connector – often literally putting people’s hands together. And she stood out because of the often unusual combination of elegance and glamour with warmth, humour and cheekiness. Andrea didn’t see hierarchies or status – she saw people’s hearts, their intentions, the sparkle in their eye.
She brought together fashion designers with trade ministers, economic activists with first ladies, diplomats with surfers who are cleaning up the oceans. Her charms resulted from a rare combination of culture, courage, and determination. She could convince the most dogged sceptics and create the most unusual of alliances – this is what made her so extraordinary and so influential.
We will surely and sorely miss her. But for those of us who collaborated with her and were touched by her magical gifts, we have inherited a responsibility to carry on with her legacy.
Let the energy of her passing become energy for our thriving.
– Alvaro Cedeno and Katherine Trebeck
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